


Slight Softness Included

by summerartist



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Platonic Massage, bit flirty because Jack, fluffy fluff, platonic foot rub, relaxing stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:34:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28945230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/summerartist/pseuds/summerartist
Summary: This is a collection of one shots of the Doctor and the companions relaxing.Chap. 4- Nine has a few strange tasks for Rose and Jack to complete. It turns out that Jack needs something and the Doctor needs them to be well.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 30





	1. Ten and Donna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chap. 1- A sleepy Donna is on the hunt for something and the TARDIS is being unusually unhelpful.

Donna sighed as she opened another cupboard to reveal yet more towels. During the first day aboard the TARDIS, the Doctor promised that his miraculous ship had every commodity a human could imagine. Indeed, Donna had never been disappointed. There were endless stores of high end food and extravagant entertainment systems. The lavatories were more like spas and the pillows were softer than anything.

Today it seemed, the TARDIS was pulling a trick on her or was purposefully withholding items. Everywhere she looked, she found increasingly fluffy blankets and towels.

“This is not what I need.”

She fought back another yawn. She swayed on her feet as she at last gave up on finding anything useful in the wash room. Maybe it was time to ask the Doctor. It was _his_ ship and he had promised her _every_ comfort she could wish. The TARDIS wouldn’t deprive him, surely.

Donna lurched out of her room and went to go look for him. She ran her hand along the corridor wall, keeping herself awake with the physical stimuli and the rapid blinking. She pinched herself, but it wasn’t helping. Donna stumbled into a half open door. The thump was loud and she saw movement on the other side.

“Donna? Is that you?”

As the door whooshed open and created a draft, she found her brain defaulting to smarmy. “No, it’s the Ghost of Christmas Past. What do you think?”

His face was suddenly very close and his eyes were studying her as intently as the patch of dry rot he had found last week that had been dripping with alien goo.

“I thought it might have been one of the TARDIS’s creatures on the loose again. She usually keeps them contained, especially the carnivores, but she gives the herbivores more leeway.”

Donna blinked at him, trying to assign meaning to his words. It was hard to tell how much was immediately relevant.

“Were you looking for me?” The Doctor asked. “Only...I was about to turn in.”

If Donna had more awareness she would have remarked upon the Doctor admitting that he needed rest. Granted, they had spent the past two days running for their lives, but the Doctor had finally fessed up. There would be no remarking about the superiority of Time Lord biology now.

Donna drew herself up. With a mum that didn’t know that she needed things half the time, she was used to stating requests.

“I need the lotion,” Donna said imperiously.

Now the Doctor was blinking at her. “The lotion?”

“Yes, the lotion. For my feet.”

“Your-” He glanced down at her slipper clad feet and then looked back up at her. “What’s wrong with your feet?”

Donna sighed loudly. “Just tell me where the lotion is and I’ll be on my way.”

He frowned at her. “The TARDIS takes care of that sort of thing.”

Donna gave a great exhale. “Well, she didn’t get the memo or she’s taking the day off because I can’t find anything except for blankets and towels.”

He hummed, looking thoughtful. He opened the door more. “You’d better come in.”

Donna came in on automatic. She glanced around. “Hang on, is this your bedroom?”

But the Doctor had already slipped past her, presumably to go investigate the mystery. She was momentarily tempted to call after him, but then realized that this was the perfect opportunity to snoop. She wasn’t about to engage in a nasty snoop, like peering into his laundry basket or bedside table. She never wanted to go there. No, perhaps there would be an unusual picture on display, or a selection of questionable music, or maybe even a plush. Not that she would tease him too terribly about the plush, since her old ted could attest to a snuggle after a breakup or a bad dream.

To her slight disappointment, the bedroom was very plain. Everything was a deep blue hue like the sky on a late summer’s evening. Everything also looked incredibly comfortable and not like her alien friend at all. The soft glowing light hanging from the ceiling was round and warm coloured. The duvet on the bed was thick and the rug under her feet was firm but gently squishy like stiff memory foam.

The room was already advertising its function to her dazed brain. She looked for someplace to sit and found that it was either the floor or the bed. Since she wasn’t barmy, she chose to plunk herself down on the edge of the mattress. She pinched herself again and shook her head. The action made her woozy. She continued to sit upright out of sheer willpower.

The Doctor rushed back in, talking a mile a minute. “At first I thought it might have been a problem with her translation matrix or sensors and that she was sensing your life signs as non sentient. But her behavior was more indicative of an item cap, and she sensed my life signs perfectly, so I had a bit of a check in with her distribution and regulation system. It’s tricky poking around there, all sorts of temporal fluctuation and displacement energy to keep track of. Some solid matter had been rerouted to the infirmary and her telepathic signature had changed over those bits. I found this though.”

He presented the bottle of lotion to her triumphantly. Donna raised a hand to take it and he suddenly snatched the bottle back, squinting at her.

“Are you alright?”

“’Course,” she mumbled. “Can I have it before I fall asleep where I’m sitting?”

He shrugged. “It’s been a while since I’ve used this room, but it’s fine to fall asleep in here. The TARDIS has kept it clean and ventilated.”

“But then, what were you doing in here?”

He arched an eyebrow at her. “I was about to go to sleep. What _else_ would I have been doing in here?”

Donna was tempted to waggle a finger at him and call him out for acting smart, but his acknowledgment that this was his bedroom had caught her off guard. His aesthetic was grungy and cluttered like an old car parts shop, as evidenced by his treasured console room. He didn’t do soft and modern like this cozy space.

She looked around with renewed interest. Perhaps this was a regulation Time Lord bedroom or something. “I didn’t expect your bedroom to look like this.”

He shrugged and knelt down. Donna watched him curiously. “There’s more than a couple of bedrooms aboard the TARDIS. That reading nook you favor in the library has a sliding door that closes it off from the rest of the library and blankets are stored under the seats. There’s also several beds in the lounges and entertainment sections in case anyone wants a quick kip. You humans, always needing your rest.”

He opened the lotion bottle and worked the substance over his palms. Before Donna could remind him that the bottle had been for her, he had grabbed her ankle. Donna yelped and drew back. He sighed, but also appeared a little concerned.

“Are there any abrasions on your ankles?”

“What? No!”

“Let me see.” He held a hand out again as if he expected Donna to willingly surrender her limbs to him.

Donna pulled up her soft trouser legs to expose her ankles. “See, they’re fine. Why are you getting all grabby?”

Come to think of it, hadn’t he just invited her to stay in here? They were friends. She had thought their interactions had always indicated that.

“I was going to give you a foot rub.”

When Donna opened her mouth to tell him what she thought of that romantic activity, he hastily changed his tone to wheedling and logical. “Look, you’re obviously tired. You nearly dropped off twice in the time we’ve been in here and your feet must be bothering you enough to have made them your number one priority. I just want to help.”

The familiar refrain made her pause. Helping was sort of his MO, but not for little things like this.

Donna considered. “They aren’t bothering me that much.”

He gave a thoughtful hum and pulled a small metal cigar looking thing from his pocket. “Nothing I would have to use a portable dermal regenerator for then?”

Donna hesitated. The hesitation lasted long enough for him to reach for her ankle again and draw it forward. He hooked a finger over the edge of her slipper and popped it off.

“You’re right, it’s not too bad,” the Doctor remarked.

Before Donna could think of how to respond, he went back into Doctor mode again. “But there might be something internal for it to be disturbing you so much. I’d better do some scans.”

Donna rolled her eyes. “It’s not ‘disturbing’ me. I just thought I’d better take care of it before we end up on the 37th moon of Kapoo or something, trying not to get killed.”

The Doctor flicked a switch on the metal tool and he started drawing it over her sensitive and slightly battered toes. Once he had finished with that, he grasped her other ankle and repeated the process, chatting.

“The TARDIS probably sensed your mild discomfort and didn’t want you to use a substance with unknown components over abrasions.” Without warning, he tucked away the tool, and started slathering the lotion over her feet. “This is something more medical grade.”

“Ugh, it stinks,” Donna complained. It smelled like stale soggy crisps times thirty. Not the worst, but rather unpleasant.

“That’ll be the Camardreeta plant oils. It’s a very long-lasting moisturizer. I once met a human that used it all over their body, well, they didn’t have much of a body, being the last human and all.”

Donna frowned but was temporarily soothed by the sensation of having her feet rubbed. She was once again swaying slightly. Even the foul smell wasn’t effectively keeping her awake, and the Doctor’s gentle hands weren’t helping the situation.

“Not going to fall on the floor, are you?” The Doctor’s voice was quiet with a firm undertone.

“Mmm,” Donna hummed.

“Donna, I’m almost done.” He wiggled her big toe on her left foot.

Donna grunted at the indignity, but did not otherwise stir.

“You have a lot of calluses.”

Donna yawned and aimed a glare at him. “I’m not taking them off with an exfoliater to please people with a thing for feet.”

He looked alarmed at the suggestion. “Never said you should. Calluses are good protection for your body, especially if you’re going to spend so much time running. There, done.”

Donna was already tilting back. She flopped over on her side as the Doctor stood up. He walked away and Donna shut her eyes. She heard a sink running and his quiet footfalls off in another room.

Just as Donna was drifting off, she heard the Doctor enter the room again. He padded over to her side and settled a blanket over her. Donna made a noise.

“Sleep well.” His voice was as gentle as a summer breeze.

She heard more rustling and silence. The light dimmed. Donna opened her eyes up a slit, feeling a bit abandoned perhaps, or maybe uneasy that she had just stolen the bed from the Doctor. But then she saw another bed. It was just like their hotel set up, except that he was usually tinkering away as quietly as possible on the other covers. Now he lay there all tucked up in his jimjams.

Donna smiled at the unusually still bundle of alien energy, not minding the ninja bed that had come out of nowhere. She turned over and snuggled deeper into the blanket that the Doctor had given her. It was very soft. She let the deep hum of the TARDIS sink into her like a purring animal and drifted off into a restful sleep.

The End.


	2. Eleven, Amy, and Rory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eleven takes care of his humans after a bad day. (Very fluffy)

It had all started when he went to pick up his two companions and they had told them that it had been a bad day. Thus, the Doctor had chosen the rafter and vine room to create a nest for them. Nests always made primates and mammals feel better, right? They were given a sense of security, of being nurtured.

The Doctor lined their nest with blankets and pillows. He filled it with things to help them not be bored, like various snack foods that his companions hadn’t tried yet. He also brought along an entertainment system and his standard camping kit, scouting inspired. The TARDIS discouraged him from bringing the fire making tools, since the TARDIS’s fire dousing foam was something that she didn’t want to keep wasting and replenishing. Still, he had various portable camping games.

After preparing for his companions, he went to fetch them. He found them where he had left them in the control room. They were both very pale and quiet. Amy appeared to be rubbing Rory’s back a little. Now now, this wouldn’t do.

“Why are you sitting around moping when you could be luxuriating in the pocket paradise I set up for you? Of course, that’s just a turn of phrase. It would be impractical to have set up an actual pocket sized paradise, well, not unless we shrank down to fit it. Still, that’s a quandary for another time.” He coaxed them forward. “Up up. Follow me.”

Like ducklings, they fell into line behind him. They must have had a very rough day. The Doctor set about fixing things, something that he excelled at.

Step one, get them comfortable. He found the best cushions for them to perch on near the entertainment system. The surfaces weren’t too firm or too squashy. Then he started to entertain Amy, showing her his camping games. Amy asked questions and laughed at his answers. This was the first step at making them smile.

Step two, engage Amy in an activity because she was the most eager of the two. Amy didn’t care about looking silly or foolish, a trait that the Doctor shared. He saw Rory’s posture loosen as he taught Amy two person cat’s cradle and lamented in not having regenerated with more fingers.

Step three, when Amy wasn’t in the vicinity, soothe Rory. Though Rory was a human of few words, he responded well to any sensible or logical questions. But before the Doctor could get him to spill, he needed to get him acclimated again. It had been a while since the Doctor had dropped in on them.

“Rory, put your fingers through there.” The Doctor had set up an elaborate cat’s cradle snare.

Rory sighed, but obeyed. The Doctor drew the string snug against his fingers.

“There. Trapped.” Then. “Trapped again.”

Rory let himself be caught patiently, always allowing the Doctor’s guidance to be lined up for the gentle imprisonment. The Doctor found himself frowning slightly.

“I set you free,” the Doctor said, withdrawing the string with a flourish. “You know that I’ll always do that, right?”

Rory’s brow furrowed for a moment at the simple statement before comprehension dawned. “’Course. And I’ll steal your snacks in the meantime.”

He grabbed a heaping handful from the bowl that the Doctor and Amy had been sharing.

“Oi!” But the Doctor was smiling as he flicked some well-aimed snacks at the thief.

He wasn’t sure how it started, but Rory finally shared information about his and Amy’s crummy day, or crummy week to be exact. The Doctor hissed in sympathy at intervals. Amy rejoined them and snuggled into Rory’s side. Amy’s work had been repeatedly rejected from several companies she had dreamed of getting published by, and Rory’s work schedule had been brutal and full of more downs than ups.

“My poor humans,” the Doctor declared. He swooped down over their reclined positions to give them both a kiss on the cheek.

Amy smiled but Rory squawked.

“Oh, I forgot that you prefer hugging.”

He obligingly scooped them up in a hug. Rory finally melted into the hold as Amy and the Doctor clung to him. Amy giggled. Mission accomplished.

It occurred to the Doctor that this close physical contact wasn’t usual between friends of the humans’ century, but they had done so much time traveling that it was silly to adhere to modern customs. If he had conditioned them to be affectionately mauled, well...he had done worse things.

They had a brief TARDIS evening of running around and snacking. His humans fell asleep and so the Doctor went to go kill some time by himself with a slow tinker and a micro nap. He knew that his humans would eventually wake up refreshed and ready for a new adventure.

The End.


	3. Twelve, Bill, and Jack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chap. 3: Jack visits Twelve and Bill at the university.

* * *

  
  
Bill took a seat around the middle of the lecture hall. She often got here early, especially since her “tutoring” had started. She tapped her pencil against her knee as she waited for all of the students to file in and for the Doctor to arrive.

She heard a small ruckus near the doorway and a voice say, “Why thank you! Right back at you.”

That accent was unmistakable. She glanced over and did a double take. In amongst the sea of young faces, the bloke with the greying hairline stood out. He wore a navy coloured greatcoat and his white teeth flashed quickly as he traversed the aisles. She saw him take a seat towards the back.

The stranger carried with him a small round parcel. Bill’s attention was directed away back towards the door as she heard her tutor’s tones start to echo through the amphitheater. The Doctor was discussing an essay with someone. Bill smiled. As the Doctor climbed onto the stage and placed down some folders, he quickly took in the room. His gaze lingered on Bill for a moment until his gaze drifted towards the back.

The Doctor froze. His eyebrows reached his hairline. Bill spun around. The American’s expression was serene.

The Doctor cleared his throat. He began his lecture almost immediately. Today’s topic centered around toxins and evolutionary defenses, pretty standard stuff. Bill listened but found herself glancing at the American. Was it Bill’s imagination or was that bloke smiling at him like the Doctor was a work of art that only he could truly appreciate?

The Doctor seemed to be looking everywhere but at him. The class passed without further incident until towards the end.

“I’ll not be taking more questions at the end today, instead you’ll have another week to finish your essays.”

Several students made relieved noises. Movement caught Bill’s eye and she saw the bloke in the greatcoat stride quickly across the room. He ascended the stage with a spring in his step and approached the Doctor. Bill didn’t catch much of their conversation with all of the surrounding hubbub, but Bill still lingered.

“...didn’t expect...silver fox…”

The Doctor’s mouth was a twitching line as he responded quietly.

The American placed his parcel upon the Doctor’s desk. “It’s a toffee apple. I wasn’t sure if you’d still have the sweet tooth.”

More of the students had filed out and Bill continued to eavesdrop.

“How did you find me?” The Doctor asked the man.

The American lowered his voice and stepped closer to the Doctor, entering his personal space. Bill heard him say something about a unit and investigation. She also heard the word “alien.”

Bill’s heart rate picked up and despite their obvious familiarity with each other, her first instinct was to protect her instructor.

“Will there be a session after class today, Doctor?” She stepped onto the stage.

The Doctor cleared his throat. “Yes, Bill.”

The American turned his head and surveyed her, looking into her eyes. “Why hello there. Glad to make your acquaintance.”

He offered her his hand to shake and Bill took it numbly. “Bill, was it?”

The Doctor huffed. “Bill is _my student_.”

The Doctor took a step towards the man to wave him away as if trying to separate them. He seemed completely calm if a bit defensive.

“The name’s Captain Jack Harkness. It’s a pleasure.” The stranger gave a winning smile.

* * *

“But who is he, really?” Bill asked the Doctor.

She walked beside the Doctor as they crossed the grounds. The Doctor kept his hands casually behind his back as they ambled about. His shoulders were back and he would occasionally pause to observe a bee or a cluster of people, seeming at ease.

“He told you. He’s called Jack Harkness.”

Bill rolled her eyes. “But who is he to you?”

“An old friend.”

Bill furrowed her brow. “But he seems to know so much about you. It’s like you’ve known each other for years and years.”

“I see. What has he been telling you?” Despite the sharpness of the Doctor’s question, there was no anxiety in his tone.

“He just talks about the mad adventure stuff you’ve done.”

The Doctor nodded.

Bill huffed a laugh. “It’s insane, the things you’ve seen and what you’ve gotten yourselves into.”

The Doctor smiled. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

“So…” Bill watched him as he halted and looked back up towards his office that they had vacated in order to take a stroll. “Is he coming with us?”

The Doctor’s gaze drifted down and he shook his head. “We’re both very busy people. Besides, Nardole would be unable to complete his duties with such a distraction.”

Bill frowned slightly.

The Doctor shot her a curious look. “I thought you’d tire of his, shall we say, overzealous personality.”

Bill shrugged. “He makes people laugh though. Yeah, the flirting isn’t something I’m keen on, but he doesn’t keep that up constantly. Besides, he flirts with you more than me.”

The Doctor quirked an eyebrow. “He was merely following a lead. It seems that my lectures and essay feedback haven’t been coming across as 100% human and caught some attention. Jack came here to investigate while already suspecting it was me.”

“And he brought you an apple.” Bill smiled while thinking of the little gesture of affection. Her grin was infectious and she noticed the Doctor copying it again. “Glad he showed up. He makes everyone really happy.”

She nudged the Doctor with her arm and the Doctor gave a mock indignant scoff. He didn’t deny her statement though.

They paused again and he stared up at the sky. He sighed, but the corners of his mouth were still upturned. “Oh Bill, no matter how many species you meet, there’s always an individual out there that will surprise you.”

The End.


	4. Nine, Jack, and Rose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chap. 4 – Nine has a few strange tasks for Rose and Jack to complete. It turns out that Jack needs something and the Doctor needs them to be well. 
> 
> (final)

* * *

  
  
I'm afraid that this is leaning into OOC territory. 

bit bittersweet?

Content heads up: Flirting.

* * *

Jack didn’t consider himself to be fussy about the wake up calls aboard the TARDIS. There was typically some fascinatingly rare phenomena that Jack only got to see once. This time, the Doctor’s wake up call was much later than the usual.

“Control room in twenty minutes. Wear something comfortable.” The Doctor’s voice was neutral, and Jack heard his footsteps echo away without waiting for Jack’s acknowledgment.

Jack shifted and frowned. That was a new one. Shrugging it off, he went to go take a swift shower and then meet Rose for breakfast. Rose looked more groggy than him in the mornings, routinely sporting messy hair and lowering her voice to a mumble. Today they were both energetic from the extra sleep, though the Doctor wasn’t in the kitchen waiting with a fresh pot of coffee. Whatever he had woken them for must be occupying his interest.

“So, has he mentioned what he’s seen this time?” Jack asked as he started frying some eggs.

Rose made toast and quickly got out the spreads. At least it seemed that the Doctor had left out a cup of joe for Jack and a fruit smoothie for Rose. Jack would persuade her over to the delights of coffee someday. After receiving a negative about the Doctor’s preoccupation, the humans wolfed down the meal. They did not need to worry about cleaning up the miraculous sentient kitchen, and so they went straight to the control room after eating.

Before they could enter the control room, they spotted a note stuck to the door. The TARDIS’s floodlights made the parchment light up like a beacon. Rose pulled it down and read.

“Third right past the planetarium room.” Rose cast Jack a look. He shrugged.

Together, they followed the instructions with only minor debate on what passed as a “planetarium” and what was just for decoration. They reached the third door and entered.

“You took your time. I could have started ten minutes ago after getting the repairs done early.” The Doctor sat cross legged in the empty room.

Rose rolled her eyes at the usual snark involving their scheduling conflicts. Jack took it in stride as was his fashion, walking over to the Time Lord. Jack started a bit when he noticed how the floor gave under his feet.

“Take your shoes off and have a seat on either side of me,” the Doctor said firmly.

Jack tried to guess his plans in the slightly gym-like room. “What sort of physical activity are we doing? Because I gotta tell you, if you just want to see my Downward Do-”

“Oi!”

Jack smiled. The humans shoved aside their shoes and traversed the soft floor. Jack and Rose sat and the Doctor continued instructing them.

“Copy my posture. Relax and breathe. Breathe in for three and out for six.”

The Doctor led them through the breathing exercises. Jack hadn’t identified the Doctor as an archetype for meditation, but he played along. Rose seemed quite serene from her spot beside the Doctor. Next, the Doctor told them to reach their right arm out to the side and to touch the top of their head while pointing their eyes in the opposite direction. They breathed and held the pose for thirty seconds and then switched to the other side. The Doctor had them hold onto their rib cage and bend their body into a gentle s-curve.

“If you want to take a break before this next bit, take a mo.”

Jack hardly paused as the Doctor told them to lie on their stomachs and look over their shoulder. This was clearly an exercise for loosening up the neck, and the Doctor confirmed that by stating that this posture helped to prevent migraines. Rose was looking particularly relaxed as she glanced over her other shoulder to catch a wink from Jack.

The Doctor broke up their little moment. “The next part involves some shoulder massage. Permission to massage your shoulders, Rose Tyler?”

Her eyes lit up and she grinned. “Yes please.”

So that’s what this was all about, Jack thought. He should have known. That sly old dog. Jack smiled, happy for them and formulating a plan to make a getaway.

As the Doctor started kneading Rose’s shoulders, a pensive look came over his features. “Tell me ten things that make you happy, Rose.”

How sweet, hearing the Doctor woo her. Rose started to tell him about visiting the shops and getting chips, as well as having her girl’s night in of watching films and painting her nails. It was all very young and sweet and it seemed like the Doctor hung on every word. The Doctor smiled with pride whenever something on their trips made it onto her list.

Taking the end of Rose’s talk as his cue, Jack stood. “Well, I just remembered that I left the stove on. I want to make sure that the TARDIS turns it off. You two carry on without me, okay?”

He gave them a saucy smirk and turned to leave. He felt something latch onto the hem of his button down.

“Not so fast,” the Doctor told him. The Doctor caught his arm in his grip too and pulled Jack back down. Jack landed with a soft ‘fwump.’

“Seriously, that stove needs to be checked on,” Jack said.

He winked frantically at the Doctor, but the Time Lord just pulled him closer. Then the Doctor’s hands were on Jack’s shoulders and kneading away at the tension there. Jack’s thoughts flew out of his head as he realized that the Doctor was _good_ at this. He was amazing.

Jack saw Rose lounging on her side and smirking at him as Jack was given the Rose Tyler treatment. He couldn’t help melting a bit. Then, the other shoe dropped.

“Same deal, ten things,” the Doctor said.

The Time Agent in him was starting to recognize the Doctor as an authority figure and so he didn’t try to disobey, but he hadn’t exactly been honest with his superiors either. He started listing off the wants and needs of the ground troops that he had been socializing with during WWII.

“No, tell me ten things that make you happy, Jack Harkness,” the Doctor said firmly.

Damn. He frantically tried to figure out what tells were showing as he gave up a smidgen of the truth. The first was his favorite activity followed closely by kissing.

The Doctor nodded. “Eight more to go.”

Jack thought, hoping to distract them with his next one. “Dancing with a breathtaking partner. You both owe me another dance, by the way.”

The Doctor just said, “Seven.”

Jack shot him a perturbed look. Maybe he shouldn’t be the one on the defensive here. “Are you buttering us up for something? Trying to figure out what makes humans tick?”

The Doctor grinned. “I already know what makes humans tick,” he said.

Then he did something with his hands that made Jack incredibly sleepy and relaxed, or maybe it was just the culmination of things. Either way, Jack’s limbs turned into rubber.

“As for the buttering up, I don’t butter. To the point, me.”

The Doctor was right about that, well, except for when it came to Rose. The Doctor was finding all of those sweet places on his back and near his rib cage. It seemed churlish to refuse to divulge more.

Jack phrased his next item as an offer. “I’m a good cook when I don’t have to work with rations. I could make you both more meals than just breakfast.”

Rose chimed in. “I’d like that as long as you do.”

“I’d love it. Nothing like cooking delicious food for beautiful people,” Jack struggled to purr at her. It was difficult to be seductive with the Doctor steadfastly massaging him to a doze. The Doctor prompted him again. Jack sighed.

“Fishing.” Even the Doctor knew that one.

Jack flopped over on his back. Rather than stalling in his ministrations, the Doctor switched to massaging the fronts of his shoulders and along his neck. Okay, so what did it actually hurt if Jack continued on? What Jack was spouting wasn’t unique to any one individual. Though the Doctor could use this knowledge against him, Rose would probably have something to say about that, and she had the Doctor wrapped around her little finger.

“Reading.”

That one made the Doctor pause for a fraction of a second.

“Being someplace new.” They were back in familiar territory and Jack could toss out three more things that they already knew about him. “Coffee.”

The Doctor protested that one. “Doesn’t count. No individual foodstuffs or you would just rattle off ice cream flavours.”

“You let Rose have chips,” Jack reminded him.

“Because it was connected to visiting shops. Try again.”

Jack wracked his brain for something else benign to tell them. A large part of his life catered to his favorite activities and there was very little else he enjoyed from the 51st century.

“Being with you two count?

The Doctor’s features lit up with a teasing smile. “Aw Rose, we’ve got ourselves a romantic. Still no.”

“Fine. Stargazing.”

The Doctor squinted a bit dubiously, but allowed it.

“Ah, come on,” Jack groaned.

“You know, for someone who complained about me being hard work this is like pulling teeth,” the Doctor said lightly.

“So _is_ seduction your intention?”

When the Doctor narrowed his eyes, Jack huffed. “I don’t know, okay? Finding mental enjoyment isn’t on my list of priorities. As for the physical, I could write a book series. Several.”

The Doctor sighed. “You’ll have to work on that. Finding psychological enjoyment is important aboard the TARDIS.” The Doctor slowly stood. “We have enough material for now. I know the best place for stargazing and a ‘girl’s night in,’ or outdoors in this case. The nebulae are like nothing you’ve ever seen and there’s an overabundance of stars.”

“So all of this was about finding out where we want to go?” Rose asked.

The Doctor shook his head. “This is about finding what makes you happy. I want you two to keep up the breathing exercises.”

Jack frowned. “Why the sudden concern for our happiness?”

Jack still sat on the floor and he started a bit when the Doctor nudged his ankle with his foot.

“Somebody’s fight or flight response has been kicking in pretty frequently,” the Doctor pointed out.

When Jack opened his mouth to negate that claim, the Doctor elaborated. “It’s nothing against you, lad. It happens to the best of us. The way you bounce on your heels and point your toes up and forwards is a classic sign. It tells me that your fight or flight is being triggered but you’re holding yourself in place.”

“Wha- What? I’m fidgeting! I fidget.” Jack was glaring now.

The Doctor held up his hands. “That’s just the body language, and body language and temperament are more obvious in humans. It’s like how anxiety is a sign of unhappiness; Relaxation isn’t just the absence of stress, you have to find what makes you tick, what you enjoy.”

The Doctor bent down and held a hand out to him. “Call these upcoming trips a preventive measure, or maybe I just like to see you both happy.”

Jack eyed him skeptically, but finally accepted the support. Pulling him to his feet, the Doctor clapped him on the back. “There you go.”

Rose linked arms with the Doctor and they started to leave the bare room. “Will you be doing the breathing exercises with us, Doctor?”

He shrugged. “You don’t need me. It’s simple enough, even for ridiculous chimps like you lot.”

There was a soft thump and the Doctor muttered a protest.

“I think we both need you with us, don’t we, Jack?”

“Sure,” Jack agreed with her automatically. But then he paused a fraction of a second to look at her, wondering. As he watched those two, he realized that Rose was holding his arm in a way that was supportive. Jack finally realized her concerns. Jack came up on the other side and slung an arm around their backs. “Tomorrow you can tell us your ten things.”

To their surprise, the Doctor shook his head. “Nah, you’re doing this for now. I’m the Doctor and this is my responsibility.”

Before they could object, the Doctor gave them a brief squeeze and spoke. “Not yet.” He made a strange choking noise that sounded almost mechanical. “Not yet.”

They were at a loss briefly, but Rose seemed to settle on reassurance. “We’ll still be here if you ever change your mind,” Rose reminded him.

The Doctor exhaled.

Already, they felt a little better.

The End.

* * *

(A/N: Thanks for reading along. ♥)


End file.
